(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric hotplate and more particularly to an electrical connection of the hotplate to a source of electrical energy.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In applicants' U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,122,330 and 4,153,833 the electrical connection for the hotplate is provided by means of a ceramic connecting piece which is located at one end of a carrier sheet secured to a covering sheet covering the underside of the hotplate. An insulating member projects through the covering sheet and carrier sheet. Connecting leads in the form of solid, nonflexible bars or wires run through this insulating member and parallel to the carrier sheet and inside the connecting member. Supply lines can be fastened to the connecting member. Although the fixed arrangement of the connecting member has proved very satisfactory, it would nevertheless be desirable to improve the capabilities of installation, particularly in a hotplate of extremely flat construction, and to improve the storage and transport capabilities for hotplates of this kind.
Similar hotplates are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,644,255, 1,998,308 and in German Pat. Nos. 1,135,642 and 2,651,848 (corresponding to Australian Pat. No. 512,394). From U.S. Pat. No. 1,093,754 and German Pat. No. 904,672 it is known to provide insulated flexible connecting leads for electric hotplates. These leads have usually been very long and had single free ends. They were therefore awkward to handle, had to be shortened for fitting or else resulted in unnecessarily long leads which caused waste, made the installation complicated and gave rise to risks of short circuits, and also added to the variety of types of hotplates on the market, produced with different lengths of lead.